Working abroad with a disability

Start from your skills, then list your working conditions

A career plan abroad starts with what you can do and the kind of role you want. A disability does not erase these; it adds concrete conditions that must be identified precisely: long periods standing, frequent travel, a noisy setting, particular tools, the pace of work.

Draw up two lists. The first describes what you absolutely need in order to work well: an adapted workstation, flexible hours, assistive software, step-free access. The second notes what is desirable without being a deal-breaker. This distinction helps you negotiate realistically and quickly spot offers that cannot work for you.

• Job tasks and any physical or sensory constraints
• Tools and software used every day
• Essential needs and negotiable needs
• Current support you would need to recreate on the spot

When and how to talk to a recruiter about your needs

Nothing obliges you to mention a disability on a CV, and when to disclose it remains a personal choice. Some people mention it at the application stage to target open-minded employers, others wait for a late interview or an offer. No strategy fits everyone; it depends on the job, the country and how significant the adjustments are.

Whenever you choose, speak in terms of solutions: what you need, what it changes in practice and what you already arranged in a previous job. A recruiter responds better to a precise request than to a vague worry. Keep a written record of any commitments made on adjustments.

Workplace adjustments: what a foreign employer may have to provide

An employer’s obligations towards a disabled employee vary greatly from one country to another. Some states require reasonable adjustments and protect against discrimination, while others offer more limited protection or different support schemes. Do not assume that the rules you know apply in the same way.

Find out about the host country’s legislation from the local labour authorities and from disability organisations on the spot. The European Disability Forum publishes useful information at European level. Then put concrete questions to the employer about equipment, office layout, access to meeting rooms and the organisation of working time.

Transport, journeys and everyday accessibility

An accessible office is no use if you cannot reach it. Study the full route between home and work: stations, stops, pavements, lifts in working order, timetables for adapted transport. Cities in the same country are not equal on this point, and a photo of a modern building says nothing about the street leading to it.

Use online maps, street-view videos and accounts from residents in a similar situation. If possible, make a preliminary visit before signing a long-term contract. A stay of a few days in the city, making the same journeys as in an ordinary week, reveals obstacles that no description mentions.

Adapted housing and searching on the spot

The supply of accessible housing is sometimes limited, and adverts do not always give the useful details: door widths, whether there is a lift, a level-access shower, the height of worktops. Ask for photos, measurements and clarifications in writing before you pay a deposit.

If the employer offers accommodation, check that it truly meets your needs, not just that it exists. Plan adapted temporary housing for the first weeks, so you can search without pressure. A hasty move into an unsuitable flat can jeopardise your independence and, with it, your ability to keep the job.

Health and continuity of care in the host country

Your medical follow-up, treatments, equipment and personal assistance do not transfer automatically. Before leaving, identify the professionals and services that could look after you, check that your medicines are available or replaceable, and ask your doctor for a summary file, translated if necessary.

Find out which health cover applies to your status: the host country’s scheme, a limited period of continued affiliation at home, or private insurance. The rules depend on the country, your contract and your situation. Contact your health insurance body and the official services of the destination country to obtain a written answer tailored to you.

Recognition and benefits from home: what does not travel automatically

An administrative recognition of disability or a benefit granted in your home country is governed by that country’s law. It is not necessarily recognised elsewhere, and payment may depend on where you live. Some benefits stop when you leave, others may continue under conditions; you have to ask the paying body.

Organisations such as Cap emploi or Agefiph support people in France; they can help you clarify your plan and identify steps to take before departure, even though their schemes mainly concern French territory. Ask each body for a written answer on how leaving would affect your rights.

A fallback plan and a support network

From the outset, decide what you will do if the adaptation of the job does not go as planned. Keep a way to come home, keep your rights at home in order when possible and identify in advance a local person, whether a colleague, an association or a neighbour, whom you can ask for help.

Join exchange groups for disabled people living in the target country. Their knowledge of local procedures, good doctors or accessible neighbourhoods is often worth more than an official brochure. Also note the emergency numbers and the procedure for reaching an interpreter or a relay service, if your situation requires it.